Social Media: Your Job Search Secret Weapon

Written by: Marie F. Zemen

One of the ways to plant a seed is via social media. There are so many social media networks, so how should you manage your online presence?

Keynote speaker, Dr. Carl Forkner, focused on maneuvering through social media. Carl wears many hats: Navy veteran with over 28 years of service (Naval Flight Officer and Surface Warfare Officer), Career Connectors LinkedIn and Social Media volunteer coach, Director of Marketing and Special Projects for Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants, and Ambassador for the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.

As Carl noted: Job vs. Career; it’s all about context. It’s the same way with social media. You need to establish goals and to have a vision of where you want to go and what you want to do.

Social Media includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

The  facts:
What percent of the population is online?North America – 81%
Western Europe – 78%
East Asia – 48%
Southeast Asia – 25%

What percent of the population is on Social Media?North America – 56% (Canada – 82%; US – 75%)
Western Europe – 44%
East Asia – 43%
Southeast Asia – 26%

What percent of the population is on Mobile Social Media?North America – 101%
Western Europe – 129%
East Asia – 92%
Southeast Asia – 109%

The world is becoming ever more mobile, and social media is designed to accommodate that. 64% of 1.35 Billion are active every single day on Facebook.

Why do you need an online presence? 90% of hiring managers and job recruiters review online information about job applicants before making a hiring decision. Of those, over 70% said they rejected candidates based on information they found or didn’t find online. 86% of employers think candidates should take at least one action to make their profiles more employer friendly – clean up your online presence. Religious and political comments should not be posted; objectionable posts should also be removed.

A good prospect conveys a professional image (professional photograph, is creative (puts their own touch to it), and has background information that matches qualifications for jobs. Over 20% of HR managers found something to convince them to hire one individual over another. You need something to make you stand out.

A bad prospect is made by provocative or inappropriate information on one’s site(drinking or using drugs;discriminatory comments). Something bad will hurt you more than having something good would help you.

Why are you not using Social Media to find jobs? It’s free!

80% of companies use LinkedIn to find candidates; 50% use Facebook; 45% use Twitter.

93% of recruiters are actively using LinkedIn to find candidates. Place LinkedIn address on your resume. Only 38% of job seekers are using it! This gives you an advantage.

Facebook: You can use the Search Bar as you would Google Search (Ex. Phoenix Jobs), you can also search for a specific company or look for a “career” or “jobs” link.

LinkedIn: Can be used to find new business partners, new clients, or even events. The Six Critical Profile Components are:
· Name, Headline, Industry & Location
· Professional Photograph
· Summary
· Current & Previous Work Experience
· Education & Skills
· Connections (50+)

To Reach All Star Status, start with people you know – then people that will help with your career goals. The gold mine is their connections.  Connect with some of their connections; follow the same people they follow. This is a way for you to get noticed and have at least one person in common. Be sure to refresh your profile.  For keyword searches, the content of your headline is weighted 3 times heavier than any other section of your profile. Try to obtain 1 – 2 recommendations for each job within the last ten years.

Finding the Right Companies: Select “Companies” from the “Interest” menu, then use the search bar and type in Company Name or Industry. Identify and send a connection request to people in companies you targeted. Select connections based on your skills set. Connecting with HR and Recruiters may link you better into the company. Have a way to introduce yourself through another person already connected to them. Be introduced by someone already at the company. Then you will not be a cold call.

Introductions: When viewing a company on LinkedIn, the right hand column shows “How You’re Connected”– these are the people who can introduce you to someone at the company. Asked to be introduced; your note to 1st connection will be forwarded to 2nd person. Be careful how you craft your request for introduction in note to 1st connection because that is also forwarded to 2nd person.

Your secret weapon for your Social Media search: #Hashtag is the secret. Hashtag is only as good as the correct spelling. #financejobs; #teachingjobs; #employment; #hiring.

TweetChat: allows you to follow specific #Hashtags.

TweetMyJobs.com. Looking for a particular role, particular city, you receive notification that it has met your specific criteria (all postings whether on a company site, Monster, etc.).

Google+: Google+ gives you information on what’s trending related to what you’re searching. #Hashtag search on google will give you Facebook, LinkedIn.  Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram can all be used in your job search.

Nextdoor is a private social network for your neighborhood. Cities are now getting on NextDoor; City of Mesa is on Nextdoor.

WHAT NEXT? Get up. Get Out. Get Going. Business is built on shaking hands across the table and seeing you.

Google Search:  Networking Phoenix – there are over 100 networking events per month. Varying career fields. Some have a fee, some do not. Meetup.com – parsed out by different professions.  Executive Networks.com, for Director-level and above; meets twice a month with a fee.

Carl’s final recommendation: Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies book.  Carl’s presentation is available for further reference.

Article courtesy of Career Connectors

Executive Job Search Strategies - Part 1

Personal and Online Branding

 Your brand is unique to you. Your brand is all about your reputation and what is authentically "you" - the passions, key personality traits, core strengths, and motivated skills everyone knows you for and relies on you to always deliver. This doesn't just happen overnight, either. This is a process and you need to take some time on it. Your brand should be visible both online and offline.

  

Strategy and Self-Study

Know what you want. Don't go into your job search blind. Gather some research on the industry that you want to work in and reflect on your skills and past contributions to the organizations you have worked with. This is also a good time to think about teaming up with an executive recruiter. They will have tools to help you tackle interviews, fix your resume, and serve as a guide to navigating your job search.

 

Develop Relationships With Executive Recruiters

Build a relationship with recruiters. They have databases filled with non-visible jobs. Don't wait for a recruiter to bring a job to you; it's up to you to find out! Some job seekers use recruiters on a need-to-need basis. It's important to stay in contact with recruiters as they have their ear close to new opportunities.  That being said, treat recruiters like insurance - you regularly invest (in developing the relationship) so that when you actually need it, you will get the help you need.

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CE Staffing - Join the Staffing Evolution

Don't Be A Summary Slacker

                Launched in 2003 and officially made public in 2011, LinkedIn boasts well over 332 million members in 200 countries. With those numbers it may seem daunting to make your profile stand out, especially if you’re just entering the workforce or introducing yourself to the social media scene later into your career. Just remember, first impressions count. With a few tips that shouldn't be secrets to LinkedIn success, you can make sure that your profile sheds the best light on you and your accomplishments.

                First things first: the photo. Don’t let that default grey silhouette represent you. You are a person and it’s important for future connections to recognize you as such; not a computer or a scam. It may seem like a no-brainer but LinkedIn profiles with a picture get 11 times more views than those without.  With that being said, make sure the picture is actually of you -- save pictures of your dog for Facebook. You don’t necessarily have to run out and get a professional portrait taken, although you are more than welcome to, but make sure that your face is shown. If your best friend is in the picture with you, perhaps you should choose a different photo. Rethink the pictures of you in a bar, even if your hair looks great, and avoid chaotic backgrounds. Bring the focus to you and make sure you’re at least smiling!

                Secondly, recognize that the summary space is not optional. LinkedIn is your resume and you wouldn't want to skimp on the details of who you are and the type of work that you do. You have 2,000 characters to fill up that space so make the most of it. It may be easy to fall into a list format and just checking off your experiences and skills. Gather your content. Tell a story. Focus on your most important accomplishments and emphasize your values and passions. This is no place for filler so make every one of those 2,000 characters count. Don’t forget about your education or professional training that make you qualified for the work that you are aiming for or currently do. If possible keep your summary limited to about four paragraphs. It may seem long but if you organize your content you can make those four paragraphs the most effective part of your LinkedIn page.

                You hear about calls to action all the time. Leave your contact information. Phone number, email, website link, what have you. Are you currently working? Looking for networking opportunities? Say so here and make it easy for people to reach you. Again, don’t be an anonymous social media user. Reinforce your profile with a few references and make sure that your skills are being endorsed by other connections. And for Pete’s sake, check your spelling and grammar!

                Remember, there are no secrets to using LinkedIn. Click that Share button and keep your information up to date. There are a lot of websites that share great examples of stellar LinkedIn profiles and personal branding tips. Use search tools to your advantage, join some groups on LinkedIn and make connections with those who will help bring you and your career to the next level.

Bullas, Jeff. "25 LinkedIn Facts and Statistics You Need to Share." Jeffbullass Blog RSS. Jeffbullas's Blog, 02 Dec. 2014. Web. 11 Feb.2015.

Fletcher, Louise. "Two Awesome LinkedIn Summary Examples (with Templates)." Two Awesome LinkedIn Summary Examples (with Templates). Blue Sky Blog, 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

Arruda, William. "Three Steps To Writing The Perfect LinkedIn Summary."Forbes.com. Forbes, 9 July 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

Bernstein, Brenda. "5 Essential Tips for a KILLER LinkedIn Summary."CareerCast.com. Career Cast, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

Career Evolutions - Who We Are

Your Resume Makeover

Anything beautiful next to something plain will stand out, but as with anything, a resume needs balance. The key is balancing content with aesthetics to make the complete package neat, professional, and informative.

We have all heard that recruiters spend 3 – 5, if you’re lucky 6, seconds looking at a resume before initially deciding in which pile it will land.  Different industries will be looking for different things, and it is important to remember that a Senior Software Developer resume will not need the unique style and flare that a Graphic Designer resume will require.  You need to know what recruiters and hiring managers in your industry want to see, and serve that up to them on a silver platter. Are they looking to see what software programs you know, what size accounts you have managed, how many off-shore call center employees you supervised, or the uniqueness of your design portfolio?

Photo courtesy of www.handbag.com

Regardless of the data, it should always come wrapped in a perfectly suitable package. Take, for example, TLC’s “What Not to Wear.”  People come looking like slobs and leave looking amazing. They haven’t lost 20 lbs., gotten braces or had Rhinoplasty. They have only taken what they already had, and dressed it up in such a way that shows off their strengths while downplaying those area of lesser appeal.

Just like with Mother Nature, a resume writer cannot change your professional history. But we can take what is essentially your career story and set the stage with a design that will show off those crucial elements of your story so the reader cannot help but say, "I've got to meet this person."

We recognize that humans are visual and therefore drawn to things that are appealing to the eye. As recruiters, we also know that just as we want you to show up for your interview looking your best, we want your resume to land on our desks looking its best. Show your target audience that you care enough to take the time to put together a nice document with some unique elements that point to who you are, what you have done, and what sets you apart from your competition. And make it look great!!

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